Flexible leather watchband



om om lNvEN'roR Geo/7e C//eer/'c/l ATTORNEYS Feb. 20, 1968 G. c. HETTERICH FLEXIBLE LEATHER WATCHBAND Filed April 5, 1966 United States Patent O 3,369,722 FLEXIBLE LEATHER WATCHBANQ George C. Hetterich, St. Petersburg, Fla., asslgnor to i Jacques Kreisler Manufacturing Corporation, North Bergen, NJ., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Apr. 5, 1966, Ser. No. 540,241 2 Claims. (Cl. 224-4) My invention relates to an improved leather watchband and more particularly to a leather watchband which is more flexible than are leather bands of the prior art.

There are known in the prior art bands for holding articles such as watches on the wrist of a wearer. Many of these bands are formed with a thin outer covering of `decorative leather or skin such, for example, as alligator or snakeskin, a thin backing of smooth leather and a relatively thicker filler pad sandwiched between the backing and the outer covering to give body to the band. The filler usually is made of a material such, for example, as unfinished leather.

Bands of the type described above, while they are attractive, embody a defect in that they are relatively stiff, particularly when new. They are, consequently, not as easily applied to the wrist and not as comfortable as is desirable. After a period of time of the band in use, the region of the band which bends to conform to the wearers wrist gradually will assume the shape of the wrist. However, by that time the band has undergone considerable wear and may be nearly ready for replacement. The relative stiffness of these bauds when new causes some people to choose bands of another material where they might otherwise have chosen an attractive leather band.

I have invented an improved leather band which is more flexible than are leather bands of the prior art. My improved band requires no breaking-in period. It has a soft feel and is comfortable and easily donned even when new.

One object of my invention is to provide an improved leather watchband which is more flexible than are bands of the prior art.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved leather watchband which is easy to put on and comfortable even when new.

A further object of .my invention is to provide a leather watchband which requires no breaking in.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a flexible leather watchband in a simple and inexpensive manner.

Other and further objects of my invention will appear from the following description.

In general my invention contemplates the provision of a watchband of brous material comprising a thin outer decorative covering, a thin inner liner and 4an elongated, relatively thick filler pad sandwichedvbetween the covering and the liner and provided with a plurality of transversely extending scores in the outer surface of the filler over the lengths of the band which are required to bend to conform to the wearers Wrist.

In the accompanying drawings which form part of the instant specification and which are to be read in conjunction therewith and in which like reference numerals are used to indicate like parts in the various views:

FIGURE l is a plan view illustrating one step in the formation of half of my flexible leather band.

FIGURE 2 is a plan view illustrating a flexible filler pad which is employed with the band half illustrated in FIGURE l.

FIGURE 3 is a plan view illustrating one step in the process of making the other half of my flexible band.

FIGURE 4 is a plan View of the filler pad used with the band half illustrated in FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional View of my flexible band after assembly thereof.

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view illustrating the mode of A operation of my flexible band.

Referring now to the drawings, my flexible band includes a tongue half indicated generally by the reference character 10 and a buckle half indicated generally by the reference character 12. The tongue half 10 includes an outer decorative covering 14 of a suitable material such as alligator skin or lizard skin, or the like, which as is known in the art is relatively thin. Alternatively, the outer covering 10 might be any suitable natural or simulated leather for example. The outer covering 14 has a decorative surface 16 and a relatively rough or unfinished inner surface 18. Band half 10 includes an inner liner 20 of thin material having a relatively smooth, finished outer surface 22 and a rough, unfinished inner surface 24;

As illustrated in FIGURE 1, in the course of forming my flexible band and after the covering 14 and the liner 26 have been formed, I place the liner 20 on the covering 14 with the smooth surface 22 of liner 20` on the decorative surface 16 of the cover 14. With the parts so positioned, I secure the cover and liner t-ogether by means of stitching 26, for example. When that has been done, the liner 20 is folded away from the covering 14 along a line a-a until it lies generally in the same plane as does the covering 14. When that has been done, the covering 14 is folded along a line b-b so that the two unfinished surfaces 18 and 24 are moved toward each other. In the course of forming the band, I dispose a relatively thick pad 28 between the two surfaces 18 and 24.v Pad 28 is provided with beveled edges 30 and 32 to give the finished band the desired cross-sectional shape. The insert 30' may be formed from any suitable material such as rough leather or the like. It is shaped and sized so as to be completely covered by the liner 20 and the covering 1f4 when the band is completely assembled.

As the filler pad 28 is sandwiched between the surfaces 18 and 24 of the covering 14 and the liner 24, adhesive of any suitable type known in the art is applied over these surfaces and the sandwich is pressed together to form the assembly. When the assembly is completed, a number of holes 34 are punched along the length of the assembly to receive the tongue of a buckle (not shown). In the course of forming the band half 10, there is provided a loop 36 beyond one end of the pad 28 for receiving a pin carried by a watchcase or the like.

In forming the filler pad 28 I cut a large number of scores 38 across the band to a depth which is about half the thickness of the thickest part of the pad. In the course of assembling the band half 10 the scored and beveled side of the filler pad 28 is arranged to be adjacent the rough surface 18 of the covering 16. Thus, when the band flexes, as illustrated in FIGURE 6, the scores 38 open up and, in effect, have formed hinges spaced along the length of the pad, thus facilitating. the bending operation. I have discovered that for the tongue end of the band I need provide scores 38 over only about half the length thereof and beginning at its end adjacent the loop 36.

The other band half 12 is formed in a manner similar to that described above in connection with the half 10. The buckle half 12 comprises an outer covering 40 of a relatively thin material which is the same as that of which the covering 14 is formed. It has an outer decorative surface 42 similar to the surface 16y and a rough inner surface 44. I provide the covering 40 with a some. what elongated opening 46 which, as will be described, forms an opening through which a buckle tongue may extend when a buckle (not shown) is assembled on this half of the hand. Band half 12 has an inner liner 48 of material similar to that of which liner 20 is formed. It

Patented Feb. 20, 1968 p 3 is provided with a smooth outer surface 50 and with a Toughened inner surface 52. When the parts 40 and 48 have been cut, liner 48 is placed on cover 14 with the smooth surface 50 of the liner adjacent the decorative surface 42 of the cover. These two elements then are sewed together by stitching 54.

I provide the band half 12 with a ller pad 56 of a material which is the same as that of which pad 2S is formed. One surface of this pad 56 has beveled edges 58 and 60 and a plurality of transversely extending cuts or scores 62 extending into the pad for -about half the thickness in the thickest portion thereof.

When the cover 40 and the liner 48 have been secured together by stitching 54, adhesive is applied to the ller 56 and band half 12 is assembled by first bending liner 48 around a line c-c to a position at which it lies generally in the plane of covering 40 and then bending the covering 40 around a line d-d to move the rough surfaces 44 and 52 toward each other. As that is done, the filler pad is disposed between the two rough surfaces and pressure may be exerted to adhere the parts. In the course of these operations, a loop 64 is formed in the cover 40 to receive a spring pin or the like carried by a Watchcase (not shown). I next slip a tongue-receiving loop 66 made from cover material 68 and liner material 70 and secured by any suitable means, such as by staples 72, over the-end of the covering 40. I double that covering back to form the buckle-receiving loop 74 and secure the end to itself and to the end of the liner 52 by stitching 76. My strap is then complete.

In makingthe two strap halves and 12, I follow the procedure outlined above, sandwiching the respective pads 28 and 56 between cover 14 and liner 20 and between cover 40 and liner 48 employing a suitable adhesive. I next punch holes 34 in the half 10 and assemble a buckle in the loop 74 of half 12. Loops 36 and 64 may receive spring pins carried by a watchcase or the like.

In use of the band to secure a watch to the wearers wrist, the watch customarily is placed on the outside of the wearers wrist and the buckle and tongue of the strap are brought under the wearers wrist to a position at which the tongue can be secured to the buckle and then passed through the loop 66. When that has been done, the two strap halves ex with relative ease owing to the cuts or scores 38 and 62 provided in the inserts 28 and 56. These cuts form a plurality of spaced thin regions which act as hinges when the band exes. The insert 28 need not be provided with scores throughout its length but may have scores only in the portion which is required to conform to the curvature of the wrist. Not only does my band facilitate the operation of securing the watch to the wrist but, also, it is more comfortable in use. Moreover, when the watch is removed from the wearers wrist, the strap will lie dat.

While I have described my invention in connection with a kband made of leather, it will readily be appreciated that it is equally applicable to other materials for making a band from a thin cover and a thin liner together with a relatively thick insert which lends body to the structure. Moreover, while I have described the invention in connection with a Watchband, Ait will be obvious that it may be employed in bands used for other purposes. While I have described a construction provided with spring pin receiving loops formed from the decorative cover material, I might make a band embodying my invention with a separate end connector of any suitable type.

It will be seen that I have accomplished the objects of my invention. I have provided a leather Watch strap which is flexible. It requires no breaking-in period. It is exible. It is relatively inexpensive for the result achieved thereby.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of my claims. It is further obvious that various changes may be made in details within the scope of my claims without depart ing from the spirit of my invention. It is, therefore, to be understood that my invention is not to be limited to the speciiic details shown and described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim 1. A exible band for securing a Watch to the wrist of a wearer including in combination a tongue half, a buckle half, each of said halves comprisingan elongated inelastic iiller body of leather, a cover of thin iiexible decorative material, a liner of thin exible material and means for adhering said cover and iiller and liner to each other with said filler disposed between said cover and said liner, a plurality of longitudinally spaced transversely extending cuts extending into each of said fillers from the surfaces thereof adjacent said covers, said cover and said liner substantially enveloping said ller to conceal said cuts, said adhering means being such as to permit said cuts to open when said band ilexes Without separation of said liner and cover and filler.

2. A iiexible band as in claim 1 in which said cuts extend into said ller bodies for approximately half the thicknesses thereof.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 191,140 5/1877 Hammond et al. 63-11 1,479,363 1/1924 Brown 224-4 2,266,953 12/1941 Blue 224-4 2,573,055 10/1951 Pedersen 224--4 2,720,656 10/1955 Allan 63-4 3,063,058 11/1962 Vollet 224-4 X FOREIGN PATENTS 1,069,229 2/ 1954 France. 1,3 29,121 4/ 1963 France.

210,086 7/ 1924 Great Britain.

GERALD M. FORLENZA, Primary Examiner.

F. E. WERNER, Assistant Examiner, 

1. A FLEXIBLE BAND FOR SECURING A WATCH TO THE WRIST OF A WEARER INCLUDING IN COMBINATION A TONGUE HALF, A BUCKLE HALF, EACH OF SAID HALVES COMPRISING AN ELONGATED INELASTIC FILLER BOXY OF LEATHER, A COVER OF THIN FLEXIBLE DECORATIVE MATERIAL, A LINER OF THIN FLEXIBLE MATERIAL AND MEANS FOR ADHERING SAID COVER AND FILLER AND LINER TO EACH OTHER WITH SAID FILLER DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID COVER AND SAID LINER, A PLURALITY OF LONGITUDINALLY SPACED TRANSVERSELY EXTENDING CUTS EXTENDING INTO EACH OF SAID FILLERS FROM THE SURFACES THEREOF ADJACENT SAID COVERS, SAID COVER AND SAID LINER SUBSTANTIALLY ENVELOPING SAID FILLER TO CONCEAL SAID CUTS, SAID ADHERING MEANS BEING SUCH AS TO PERMIT SAID CUTS TO OPEN WHEN SAID BAND FLEXES WITHOUT SEPARATION OF SAID LINER AND COVER AND FILLER. 